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About Wilderness Cottages

Introduction

We would like to introduce ourselves and our policies to you and help you to get to know who we are. Wilderness cottages was formed in 1993 and grew from letting a single self catering cottage near Loch Ness to the business we have today. We purchased the business in 2004 which had at that time a small collection of high quality, environmentally friendly, self catering cottages for year round use. The cottages were all pet friendly, all in the Highlands, within easy reach of Loch Ness, and mostly on South Loch Ness. As we live on South Loch Ness side we knew all the cottages personally. This is one advantage that we, Wilderness Cottages have over many larger agencies, who very often have not visited the cottages and who's interest really only lies in marketing the summer season. Although we have now increased the number of cottages we let we have continued with the same policies - environmentally friendly, pet friendly (wherever possible - a few cottages are really not suitable) and, most importantly, with personal customer service, both prior to and during your holiday. We are always available to help sort out any problems that you might have, of whatever kind. For cottages further afield, we are only a phone call away. Whilst increasing the number of cottages we can offer you, we branched out to the west coast, from Sutherland – Argyll and Bute including the Isle of Skye, where many of you are keen to stay, and also further south into Perthshire we also have a luxury apartment on the side of Loch Lomond. Some of you enjoy 2 centre holidays - what better combination than a week on the west coast or in Perthshire, followed by a week near the ever mysterious Loch Ness.

Our Enviroment

Mindful about the environment and the need to preserve the landscape and minimise pollution everywhere, it is especially important in places like the Highlands, where clean air and beautiful unspoilt scenery are still prevalent. We try to play our part, both in our own home and our self catering cottage and in some of the cottages that we manage for the owners that live away, by providing recycling containers for glass, aluminium drinks cans, metal cans, cardboard, with a compost heap for organic waste. In the kitchen you will find a range of environmentally friendly, cleaning materials and detergents. We endeavour to inspire other owners to do likewise.

Our Wild Friends

The birds are fed regularly throughout the year and we are always very grateful if you take over this pleasurable task while you are in residence. You will be rewarded with hours of amusement! However, please put whole peanuts in the wire holders, and not on the bird table especially during the nesting season, (April through to August) as the chicks could easily choke on whole nuts. Thank you.
Pine martens enjoy jam sandwiches!! They have been known to come into close proximity for such delicacies in the summer evenings. In summer 2000, there was a family of three martens visiting Hazelgrove garden daily. Red squirrels come to several of our cottage gardens for the hazelnuts which grow in abundance in the area, and during the autumn you will see them busily gathering them for their winter stores.
Sika and the native roe deer are regular garden visitors and are frequently seen walking the boundaries looking wistfully at the garden succulents, so please keep garden gates closed, especially at night!
Birds you may see in this area include golden eagle, osprey, peregrine falcon, heron, slavonian grebe, curlew, crossbills, woodcock, goosander, goldeneye, buzzard, red kites and many, many more. A half hours drive will take you to the Moray Firth to see the most northerly pod of bottlenose dolphins in Britain.

Our Canine Companions

We positively encourage you to bring your dogs on holiday with you - they so love places and spaces new. With forest trails and long beaches for walking, they will be in seventh heaven. We have 5 Labradors ourselves (4 black and 1 yellow) and know just what fun life can be for them here in the wide open spaces. With them in mind, we have written a special Pets Welcome page.
See you soon.